PrivateFleets.com

Two years ago, a 64 year-old driver for Linde Gas received a safety award for 3 million accident-free miles. Soon afterwards, a manager noticed a sudden change in the driver’s behavior.

The driver had two rapid deceleration events in the same month, signifying a behavior problem with vehicle spacing. The concerned manager had an idea: ask the driver when his last eye exam was. After a doctor’s visit, the driver’s depth perception was corrected with a new prescription.

“He is still working for us,” says Joe Gomes, director of safety for Linde Gas, a national supplier of industrial gases. The largest division of Linde’s private fleet, the North America Bulk Distribution, operates 750 power units and 2,000 high-pressure gas trailers.

Identifying and correcting the root causes for a sudden change in driver behavior is not always so easy, however. More recently, a manager noticed a driver had an unusual amount of speeding and rapid speed changes. After noticing this behavior for three to four weeks, an incident occurred before managers could get to the driver and intervene. The driver later acknowledged he was having marital problems. His wife left and he was rushing home each day to take care of kids.

The driver’s behavior returned to normal once he received counseling through Linde’s employee assistance program (EAP), a confidential service.

The transportation industry, including private fleets, has traditionally waited for incidents to happen before disciplining or terminating drivers, Gomes says. “We try to use leading indicators to catch the behavior and modify it before it becomes an incident.”

To closely monitor the leading indicators of driver safety and performance, Linde created a Driver Risk Index. The DRI is a database tool that enables managers to efficiently score driver risk on a 1 to 100 scale and monitor any changes in driver performance. Data for the DRI is downloaded daily from each vehicle through the company’s onboard computing system from Xata.

The DRI has 6 different leading indicators for driver behavior: speed, rapid speed changes (9 mph or more per second), miles per gallon, over-RPMs, idle time and brake applications. Linde evaluates each indicator on a 6-month basis to pinpoint any trends or changes, Gomes says.

At least once a week, management reviews performance with drivers that score in the lower range. Rapid speed changes are considered an aggressive and violent behavior and merit an immediate conversation with the driver, he says.

“The driver is not going to come running to you. You’ll start to see more brake applications and hitting the throttle harder,” says Mike McDonald, Linde’s national distribution maintenance and engineering manager.

“A lot of times, the stress that hits guys is not something that comes from within the job function but from their family,” Gomes says. “The DRI identifies it. You can see really quickly that something is going on and pull the driver in and talk to him.”

All of Linde’s driver managers must complete an internal course called “Transport Leadership.” The course focuses on interpersonal and coaching skills. Driver managers are specifically trained to coach drivers using only documented performance data.

Linde Gas trains all drivers with the Smith System driving techniques. Drivers that follow these techniques are not only safer but more fuel efficient as well. The DRI gives managers a quick way to determine if drivers’ habits and skills are meeting the requirements of the Smith System. Most of the time, a drop in performance requires simple coaching to correct. Other times it is more complicated. Linde’s managers are trained how to be extra sensitive to drivers’ personal problems.

“Personal problems are not something you want to delve into,” Gomes says. When discussing performance, drivers will sometimes voluntarily disclose aspects of their personal lives.

“A lot of times, drivers don’t want to come out, but our managers are pretty good. They’ve worked with these guys for 10 to 15 years. They know who their families are. They will open up about what the issue is,” McDonald says. For any personal issues, such as money, sickness and family, managers suggest using the company’s EAP program called Lifeworks. If the driver is in the office with the manager, the manager will call Lifeworks, hand the phone to the driver, and walk out.

“If you’ve got a guy with 10 to 15 years invested in the company, we know it is going to be very difficult to find a replacement. We go the extra mile,” Gomes says. Since the DRI was created in 2005, managers are putting more emphasis on helping drivers get in touch with Lifeworks, he says, but “you can’t force them.”

Like any private fleet, Linde is focused on improving fuel efficiency as well. Its process for modifying driver behavior to improve mpg is identical to its process for managing safety risk. The company uses the DRI system to monitor drivers’ fuel efficiency. Rather than track mpg, the company has established standards for what each indicator should be to maximize fuel efficiency.

“If drivers meet certain standards, we know their mpg,” Gomes says. “If they are driving efficiently, they are using the Smith System.” The company has piloted its fuel efficiency training at two locations. One location has seen a 3.5 percent increase in fuel economy. The other has improved between 5 and 6 percent.

For Linde Gas, nothing is left to chance in driver performance and safety. It can’t be–their customers, many of which are hospitals–depend on oxygen and other medical and cryogenic gases to be on time, everytime, to save lives. The company is another example of a private fleet leading the way in developing professional drivers with best-in-class management skills.